1. Field of Invention
The invention relates to a rotating display, and more particularly to a rotating display with design of surrounding a column, wherein the displays are installed on a column so as to produce a 360-degree panoramic image.
2. Related Art
LEDs (often hundreds of thousands of LEDs) are used in a large conventional display. More LEDs are needed for higher resolution display. The increased number of LEDs not only increases the cost but also increases the probability that the display will have faulty elements. To solve the problem, the inventor submitted R.O.C. Pat. Application No. 85,202,605 entitled xe2x80x9cSpacetime-Dividing Rotational Electronic Displayxe2x80x9d, U.S. Pat. No. 5,818,401 and P.R.C. Pat. No. ZL96229136. In the Pats. Application, several lines of light-emitting units are mounted at equal distances or equal angular distances on a rotator. The light-emitting units on each line are composed of many light-emitting sources. When the rotator rotates, different light-emitting sources on each of the light-emitting units are energized at different spatial points. Due to the visual persistence of images in the human eye, a virtual display is formed on the rotating surface of the rotator.
Since the foregoing applications significantly decrease the number of LEDs needed and consequently lowers the probability of faulty element, the foregoing applications were granted bearing R.O.C. Pat. No. 120,003, U.S. Pat. No. 5,818,401 and P.R.C. Pat No. 96229136.
From the foregoing description, one can see that by dividing spacetime and utilizing the visual persistence of the human eye, only a relatively few light-emitting units are needed on a rotator to form a virtual display. However, the existing rotating display can only be used as an independent device. Large conventional flat displays are mounted on walls of a big building to display images. If the rotating display can be similarly installed around the column of building, then its applications can be expanded widely.
Therefore, an objective of the invention is to provide a rotating display that can be installed on any kind of column to produce a 360-degree panoramic image. With such a design, mounting a rotating display on a high building column can be used as decoration and for advertising or information display.
To achieve the foregoing objective, the rotating display in accordance with the present invention includes: a transmission/support mechanism, an annular display unit, a contact power supply unit, a control unit and an angle encoding unit. The transmission/support mechanism is installed on a column of a building. The annular display unit is installed around the column and is supported and driven by the transmission/support mechanism. The contact power supply unit is installed on the column. The control unit is provided inside the display unit. The angle encoding unit is between the column and the display unit.
Image signals are transmitted wirelessly to the control unit to light up the light-emitting units on the display unit. Due to the visual persistence of images in the human eye, a 360-degree panoramic image can be produced. The rotating display structure is modularized so that the display can be easily installed.
The transmission/support mechanism consists of at least three motors. Each of the motors is attached to the column with its shaft pointing out radially from the column and a driving wheel attached to the end of the shaft. The driving wheels support the display unit. When the motors operate, the driving wheels rotate the display unit.
The display unit comprises several sets of light-emitting modules, an upper conducting ring and a lower conducting ring. The light-emitting modules are installed vertically at equal angles between the upper conducting ring and the lower conducting ring. The upper conducting ring and the lower conducting ring are electrically connected to the contact power supply unit so that positive and negative power are provided through the upper conducting ring and the lower conducting ring, respectively. The light-emitting module is comprised of a long vertical strip with LED""s (Light-Emitting Diode) or equivalent light source devices installed in a line along the strip. Each LED is installed inside the strip, and an electrical circuit is formed between each LED and the upper conducting ring and the lower conducting ring. A signal circuit is also formed between each LED and the control unit.
The upper and lower conducting rings are composed of several arcuate sections so the conducting rings can be conveniently installed around a column. The contact power supply unit has one or more than one electric brush modules around the top portion and bottom portion of the column. Each electric brush module has a conducting shell filled with mercury or a carbon brush. The electric brush module connects to one pole of the power supply unit. A conducting rod is rotatably installed through the conducting shell with one end in contact with the mercury or a carbon brush inside the electric brush module and a contact wheel made of conducting materials attached to the other end. Through the contact between the contact wheels and the conducting rings, the positive and negative power is passed onto the upper and lower conducting rings.
The contact power supply unit further includes an elastic connector to couple the electric brush module to the column. It provides a buffering force for the electric brush module to reduce possible vibrations due to the rotation of the display unit. Therefore, the electric brush module can make and maintain tight contact with the upper and lower conducting rings of the display unit through the contact wheel.
The angle encoding unit is mounted between the column and the display unit. An angular position barcode is provided at a proper position on the column. A CCD camera connected to the control unit is provided at a corresponding position on the display unit so that it can detect the angle signal of the display unit by reading the barcode.
The control unit contains at least a microwave receiver and a main control circuit. The microwave receiver receives image signals transmitted wirelessly and sends the signals to the main control circuit. The main control circuit lights up each of the light-emitting modules on the display unit at proper time and space.